HeadOn
Encyclopedia
HeadOn is the brand name of a topical product claimed to relieve headaches
. It achieved widespread notoriety in 2006 as a result of a repetitive commercial, consisting only of the tagline "HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead," stated three times in succession. Originally sold as a homeopathic
preparation, the brand was transferred to Sirvision, Inc. in 2008, who re-introduced the product with a new formulation.
and daytime programming on broadcast television which consisted of using only the tagline "HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead", stated three times in succession, accompanied by a video of a model using the product without ever directly stating the product's purpose.
Manufacturer Miralus Healthcare
decided not to include any factual claims about the product in the spots after the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau
s objected to the claim that HeadOn provided "fast, safe, effective" headache
relief made in an earlier spot. A previous campaign included the phrase "Should I know about HeadOn?"
Miralus Healthcare used focus group
s to try a number of potential commercials, with one focused solely on repetition; the focus groups recalled the ads much more than with any other method, although many people considered the ads annoying
. Dan Charron, vice president of sales and marketing at Miralus, told the Los Angeles Times
that nobody in the focus groups had told him that the ads were annoying.
, USA Today
reports, and it has since become an internet meme
. The technophile magazine Make
describes how to turn it into a ring tone
. The commercial is parodied in the 2008 spoof film, Disaster Movie
.
headache relief." There were no peer reviewed studies showing that the original HeadOn formula worked and the scientific consensus is that homeopathic preparations do not help beyond the placebo effect
. The new formulation has not yet been investigated.
Sirvision Inc, which bought the product line, have stated that they intend to refocus the infamous advertisements in a "scientific direction".
A homeopathic hemorrhoid cream, FREEdHem, was withdrawn from the market. Like HeadOn, FREEdHem featured repetition in its ads, which said "Freedom from hemorrhoids, FREEdHem hemorrhoid cream" or "FREEdHem, the only one-application hemorrhoidal cream" three times.
, Austria
. It was originally distributed by Miralus Healthcare
.
As of September 2008, there are two versions of HeadOn available in stores: "Extra Strength" and "Migraine". Chemical analysis of the Migraine formulation has shown that the product consists almost entirely of wax
. The three "active ingredients" are iris versicolor
12× (a flower), white bryony
12× (a type of vine), and potassium dichromate 6× (a known carcinogen
). The "×" notation indicates that the three chemicals have been diluted to 1 part per trillion
, 1 part per trillion, and 1 part per million respectively. This amount of dilution is so great that the product has been described as a placebo
; with skeptic James Randi
calling it a "major medical swindle". The formula for the Extra Strength version of the product is the same as the Migraine except that it excludes the iris versicolor.
Seymour Diamond, director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and the inpatient headache unit at St. Joseph Hospital, was quoted as saying "I see nothing in this product that has any validity whatsoever." Consumer Reports
states that no clinical-trial data involving HeadOn have been presented, and that "any apparent efficacy may be the result of the placebo effect
."
Correspondence was published with a statement from HeadOn Customer Service that "It works through the nerves."
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
. It achieved widespread notoriety in 2006 as a result of a repetitive commercial, consisting only of the tagline "HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead," stated three times in succession. Originally sold as a homeopathic
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
preparation, the brand was transferred to Sirvision, Inc. in 2008, who re-introduced the product with a new formulation.
Commercial
HeadOn's notoriety came in part due to its advertisements on cableCable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and daytime programming on broadcast television which consisted of using only the tagline "HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead", stated three times in succession, accompanied by a video of a model using the product without ever directly stating the product's purpose.
Manufacturer Miralus Healthcare
Miralus Healthcare
Miralus Healthcare is a company that is best known for marketing the homeopathic headache product HeadOn. The product has become well known for its simple television commercial which thrice repeats the phrase "HeadOn: Apply directly to the forehead!", without making any claims about the product's...
decided not to include any factual claims about the product in the spots after the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau , founded in 1912, is a corporation consisting of several private business franchises of local BBB organizations based in the United States and Canada, which work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business Bureaus .The Better Business Bureau, through...
s objected to the claim that HeadOn provided "fast, safe, effective" headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
relief made in an earlier spot. A previous campaign included the phrase "Should I know about HeadOn?"
Miralus Healthcare used focus group
Focus group
A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging...
s to try a number of potential commercials, with one focused solely on repetition; the focus groups recalled the ads much more than with any other method, although many people considered the ads annoying
Annoyance
Annoyance is an unpleasant mental state that is characterized by such effects as irritation and distraction from one's conscious thinking. It can lead to emotions such as frustration and anger...
. Dan Charron, vice president of sales and marketing at Miralus, told the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
that nobody in the focus groups had told him that the ads were annoying.
Reception
The commercial has led to a number of parodies now appearing on Web sites such as YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
reports, and it has since become an internet meme
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
. The technophile magazine Make
Make (magazine)
Make is an American quarterly magazine published by O'Reilly Media which focuses on do it yourself and/or DIWO projects involving computers, electronics, robotics, metalworking, woodworking and other disciplines...
describes how to turn it into a ring tone
Ring tone
A ringtone or ring tone is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call or text message. Not literally a tone, the term is most often used today to refer to customizable sounds used on mobile phones.-Background:...
. The commercial is parodied in the 2008 spoof film, Disaster Movie
Disaster Movie
Disaster Movie is a 2008 parody film. It is written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, and stars Carmen Electra, Kim Kardashian, Matt Lanter, Nicole Parker, Crista Flanagan, Vanessa Minnillo, and Ike Barinholtz...
.
Ownership transfer
On September 26, 2008, ownership of the HeadOn brand and its manufacture were transferred to Sirvision, inc. of North America. Sirvision re-introduced HeadOn with a new formulation, claiming it now contains "a clinically proven active ingredient for topicalTopical
In medicine, a topical medication is applied to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes such as the vagina, anus, throat, eyes and ears.Many topical medications are epicutaneous, meaning that they are applied directly to the skin...
headache relief." There were no peer reviewed studies showing that the original HeadOn formula worked and the scientific consensus is that homeopathic preparations do not help beyond the placebo effect
Placebo effect
Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
. The new formulation has not yet been investigated.
Sirvision Inc, which bought the product line, have stated that they intend to refocus the infamous advertisements in a "scientific direction".
Other products
Three related products are currently produced by former manufacturer of HeadOn Miralus Healthcare:- ActivOn - described on the company's website as a topicalTopicalIn medicine, a topical medication is applied to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes such as the vagina, anus, throat, eyes and ears.Many topical medications are epicutaneous, meaning that they are applied directly to the skin...
analgesicAnalgesicAn analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
for arthritisArthritisArthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
-like joint pains, in multiple formulations. Additionally, the product originally named FirstOn, a topical anti-itch product, is now called ActivOn Maximum Strength Anti-Itch. - PreferOn - A topical product containing Vitamin EVitamin EVitamin E is used to refer to a group of fat-soluble compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are many different forms of vitamin E, of which γ-tocopherol is the most common in the North American diet. γ-Tocopherol can be found in corn oil, soybean oil, margarine and dressings...
, claimed to improve the appearance of scars. - RenewIn - A pill claimed to improve joint comfort, flexibility and mobility, in multiple formulations.
A homeopathic hemorrhoid cream, FREEdHem, was withdrawn from the market. Like HeadOn, FREEdHem featured repetition in its ads, which said "Freedom from hemorrhoids, FREEdHem hemorrhoid cream" or "FREEdHem, the only one-application hemorrhoidal cream" three times.
Ingredients
The original homeopathic formula was purportedly developed at the Herpolscheimer clinic in GrazGraz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. It was originally distributed by Miralus Healthcare
Miralus Healthcare
Miralus Healthcare is a company that is best known for marketing the homeopathic headache product HeadOn. The product has become well known for its simple television commercial which thrice repeats the phrase "HeadOn: Apply directly to the forehead!", without making any claims about the product's...
.
As of September 2008, there are two versions of HeadOn available in stores: "Extra Strength" and "Migraine". Chemical analysis of the Migraine formulation has shown that the product consists almost entirely of wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
. The three "active ingredients" are iris versicolor
Iris versicolor
Iris versicolor, also commonly known as the Harlequin Blueflag, Larger Blue Flag, Northern Blue Flag, and other variations of those names, is a species of Iris native to North America where it is common in sedge meadows, marshes, and along streambanks and shores.-Growth:I. versicolor is a perennial...
12× (a flower), white bryony
White Bryony
White Bryony is a vigorous vine with major destructive potential to native vegetation, forest communities, vineyards, and farmland...
12× (a type of vine), and potassium dichromate 6× (a known carcinogen
Carcinogen
A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes...
). The "×" notation indicates that the three chemicals have been diluted to 1 part per trillion
Parts-per notation
In science and engineering, the parts-per notation is a set of pseudo units to describe small values of miscellaneous dimensionless quantities, e.g. mole fraction or mass fraction. Since these fractions are quantity-per-quantity measures, they are pure numbers with no associated units of measurement...
, 1 part per trillion, and 1 part per million respectively. This amount of dilution is so great that the product has been described as a placebo
Placebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
; with skeptic James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
calling it a "major medical swindle". The formula for the Extra Strength version of the product is the same as the Migraine except that it excludes the iris versicolor.
Seymour Diamond, director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and the inpatient headache unit at St. Joseph Hospital, was quoted as saying "I see nothing in this product that has any validity whatsoever." Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
states that no clinical-trial data involving HeadOn have been presented, and that "any apparent efficacy may be the result of the placebo effect
Placebo effect
Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
."
Correspondence was published with a statement from HeadOn Customer Service that "It works through the nerves."